SPAMera®, originally uploaded by [ CK ]

I write to you in defense of Pork, or at least bacon. First, you should take some time to understand exactly how the federal budget process works before we understand what earmarks are. Earmarks are guarantees of federal funds for specific programs and recipients in federal appropriations. Pork is the pejorative term which has somehow come to define all earmark appropriations. We can all agree that the Alaskan Bridge to Nowhere is wasteful spending. However! Look at this list of FY 2009 with Omnibus Appropriations Act which clearly outlines earmarks and tell me which transit programs are pork. Especially in these economic times where we’ve gone to the other end of the Keynes Looking Glass.
I’m tired of the complaining about earmarks and “pork.” Republicans Congressmen had 8 years to be worried about waste, fraud, earmarks, and pork but were more than happy to use the legislative machine to divert appropriations to their districts. Spare me if I don’t take you seriously. To understand pork and earmarks is to understand the latent structural incentives built into our system which create pork. The Constitution essentially created a 435 member kindergarten full of kids who not only don’t want to share, but fully understand that the process is both zero-sum and they are elected every other year forcing them to bring home the bacon to their constituents in order to be sent back to school. The House is parochial and short-sighted by design with earmarks being a tool of appropriation. If you have problems with earmarks then start coming up with changes to the Chamber which will positively alter the structural composition of the House.
With that in mind, please take a look at both the President’s Budget of the United States Government: Fiscal Year 2010, learn about the federal budget process and check out FY 2009 with Omnibus Appropriations Act to see what FY 2010 funding recipients could be.